Think back to Victorian times and people entertained themselves and each other by playing games, telling stories by the fire, and reading books.
As time has evolved, new forms of entertainment have come into the picture, such as film, TV, radio and video gaming. Then the internet arrived on the scene and introduced to even more forms of entertainment into the mix, such as streaming services, gaming online and podcasts. Below is a discussion of online entertainments, trends in the industry and what the future may hold for online entertainment.
Online: the new entertainment
Online entertainment has exploded, with billions of people turning to the internet to access their favourite forms. According to data on the website of consumer and market data company website Statista, in the fourth quarter of 2023, music video was the most popular form of online entertainment when it came to video content, followed by comedy, memes and viral video (all as one category). The platform TikTok, which features short form video, is especially popular and really took off in 2020.
Video gaming is another form of entertainment available on the internet and highly popular. Casinos are a popular gaming choice online and advances in technology have helped casino operators offer games online, not just on more sophisticated websites, but also on apps. Mobile gaming has become especially popular, although players can access gaming across multiple devices if they wish. Due to the excellent work of games developers, players can immerse themselves more in games. Virtual reality and augmented reality have been two of the biggest developments in this aspect.
Further trends in online entertainment
The internet spoils consumers with variety, which also means there are plenty of trends to follow or at least keep on the watch for. Here are some:
A shift away from advertising
Online entertainment platforms may be rethinking their policy on ads. Users are getting fed up of being forced to pay more services that don’t feature advertisements. Perhaps one of the most notable platforms to have introduced a lower subscription charge in return for tolerating advertisements is Netflix. That could change as users seek other forms of entertainment.
Younger generations choosing streaming over TV
One of the biggest battles in online entertainment is between streaming platforms. Streaming accounts for a considerable part of TV usage and has witnessed several competitors enter the foray to challenge giants such as Netflix and Disney+, only to fail. Many millennials and people from the Generation Z are replacing TV with streaming services. Importantly, the market is beginning to consolidate. People are using just a few mainstream platforms for their online entertainment, rather than new ones entering the market.
Cloud gaming going mainstream
Despite the popular of mobile gaming, the advance of esports and the development and integration of VR and AR into gaming, the biggest gaming trend of all could be the mainstream use of cloud gaming technology. Very few of the billions of gamers out there have the hardware to play the most demanding games, so cloud gaming technology is allowing them to stream games to their devices from the game operator’s server. This is relieving devices of the bulk of the graft when it comes to operating the game.
Podcasting now a mainstream medium
Podcasting has become huge. Spotify, for instance, offers five million podcast titles alongside all its music and experts predict that nearly 30 million people will be listening to Apple podcasts by 2027. Although millions of amateur podcasts are appearing on the scene, podcasting itself has become much more professional. Lots of people are transforming what was once a cool hobby of theirs into a business model.
The future of online entertainment
The use of analytics has become important in a wide range of industries as companies try harder and harder to understand their customers so they can provide the right offering. The implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms can help them to predict and identify trends, and to optimise their content and how they distribute it. Consumers can expect to see companies working with analytics more and more to optimise their offering and content.
In the world of gaming, two trends are emerging that the gaming community is likely to see more of in the future. Firstly, social casinos, casinos which use virtual currency rather than encouraging wagering with true-life currency, have emerged and are becoming immensely popular. Igaming companies may start to invest in social casinos as part of their business and investment strategy.
Secondly, gaming is taking on casino-type elements and encouraging engagement by allowing players to buy in-game items by making real-money purchases. This is creating a bridge between casino gaming and regular video gaming, causing the two gaming types to intersect.
Online entertainment is hugely popular and providing consumers with even more variety. Technology is advancing and creating massive opportunities. Will the world see new forms of online entertainment materialise? Don’t rule it out.